Newfoundland & Labrador’s LGBT Lifestyle Magazine
theoutport.com
WINTER FASHION TRENDS INCLUSION ILLUSION BY TINA OLIVERO
November 2014
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT NUTRITION & WELLNESS LUSH CONSIGNMENT DESIGNER CLOTHES
R E B M E V NO
N O I H S FEDAITION The Outport // November 2014 1
Contributors Writers Darryl Davis @darryl_m_davis DJFabian Newfoundland @DJFabianNL Joshua Hackett joshuahackett@live.ca Taylor Stocks taylor.stocks@gmail.com Tina Olivero TransformWithTina.com Pat Watkins patwatkins01@yahoo.ca
Editor/Writer Ryan Crocker theoutport@outlook.com
DRAG Moments in POP Music
Advertising Pamela Sheaves theoutportpamela@outlook.com Karin Power theoutportkarin@outlook.com
Design & Layout Kimberley Devlin & Perfect Day perfectdaycanada.com
Cover Image Photographer: Ryan Crocker Hair: Leo Byrne & The Hair Factory Clothing: LUSH Consignment Boutique
A drag queen storms the billboard charts and went all the way to #4 in Canada with this fashion runway anthem.
#2. You Think You’re a Man (1984) Divine | This larger-than-life drag queen stormed the charts in Europe and clubs in North America. It remains Divine’s most iconic hit.
#3. You Make Me feel (1978) Sylvester | Dubbed the Queen of Disco,
Publisher Josh Eddy theoutport@outlook.com
#1. Supermodel (1992) Rupaul
With the 11th edition of the popular, local Drag IDOL set to go for Friday, November 21, at Velvet Club & Lounge – and with the focus on fashion in this month’s edition of The ‘Out’port – I dedicate this months chart to some of the most memorable drag moments in pop music. And I look forward to seeing you all out casting your votes for the next drag Idol!
he rejected being called a drag queen despite his flamboyant appearance.
#4. Vogue (1990) Madonna This massive chart hit was inspired by the New York’s underground drag ball culture.
#5. I Will Survive (1978) Gloria Gaynor | Who can forget when this tune was used in the drag-inspired film ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’?
#6. You And I (2011) Lady Gaga | Gaga used the 2011 MTV awards to introduce her drag king alter ego Jo Calderone and the rest,as they say, is history.
#7. Karma Chameleon (1983) Culture Club | Boy George thanked America ‘for knowing a good drag queen when they see one’ at the 1984 Grammy Awards.
#8. Diva (1998) Dana International | This Israeli transgender contestant won the 1998 Eurovison song contest and went on to storm European charts.
#9. Rise Like a Phoenix (2014) Conchita Wurst | This neatly-bearded drag queen won Eurovison in 2014 and took drag in a whole new direction.
#10. Drag (album) (1997) k.d. lang | While the album title was a reference to smoking, the album cover showed Lang in fine drag-king form.
2 The Outport // November 2014
ON OUR GAYDAR From war to woman
of the country would be plunged into a bloody and genocidal war. In fact, her city suffered one of the most heartbreaking massacres of the entire conflict when ethnic Serb forces bombed a gathering of high school graduates, killing 71 and injuring more than 200. Her parents, who were in an ethnically mixed marriage, divorced and Andreja fled with her older brother and ethnic Serb mother to a refugee camp near the Serbian capital, Belgrade. There they remained until it was possible for them to move to Melbourne, Australia – the city and country Andreja now calls home. A lot has changed for Andreja since her war-torn childhood. For one thing, back then she was living as a boy. Growing up in Australia, she was a very androgynous, feminine young man and quickly started making a name for herself as a fashion model. Designers loved her unique look and ability to showcase both men’s and women’s clothing – and it wasn’t long before she became known as one of the country’s stand-out male supermodels. And it also came with a lot of backlash. Although she was often voted as one of the sexiest male AND female models on the runway, some magazines described her in revolting terms. One literally referred to her as a “thing”, and added, “pass the sick bucket”.
Andreja Pejic was born in August of 1991 in the beautiful, multicultural city of Tuzla – a peaceful town in Bosnia and Herzegovina where the country’s various ethnic groups grew up together, married each other, and generally got along quite well. Few people there imagined that, within months of Andreja’s birth, Tuzla and the rest
Her fame opened up new doors for Andreja, most importantly the ability to be a role model – a prospect she took very seriously, given the praise and ridicule she received simply for being who she is. She came out as a trans woman several years ago. Andreja is currently working on a documentary about her transition from a little boy named Andrej in one of the world’s longest-suffering regions, to an Australian icon and supermodel known the world over simply as Andreja. by Ryan Crocker The Outport // November 2014 3
WINTER
FASHI 4 The Outport // November 2014
As the year winds down, we’re being teased with a few warm, sunny days. However, winter is still quickly creeping upon us. This season’s collections are geared towards bundling up against the cold. Shearling has made a comeback in a big way, and is my top pick for the upcoming season – aviator and biker style jackets with shearling-lined collars in a variety of tones from off whites and greys, to medium and dark browns as well as sleek blacks. Another returning trend aimed at keeping you warm this year will be quilted, down-filled jackets and vests. Unlike the puffy ‘bubble’ styles of past seasons, this time around we will see a slimmer version in a variety of geometric quilting patterns.
Photographer: Ryan Crocker Hair: Leo Byrne & The Hair Factory Clothing: LUSH Consignment Boutique
Slim trousers are back! Tapered sixties style slacks, cropped around the ankle and paired with heavier bulky layers on top – quilted coats and large knit turtlenecks. Brown will be making a strong entrance into formal wear, either worn as a jacket/blazer or a full suit with co-ordinating accents you’ll be looking sharp in a stand-out look at any of your holiday parties.
ION Androgynous looks will be hot this season with clean lines or caped/cocoon silhouettes: extra-large, pashmina-like scarves are in trend for men as well as women, so you’ll be keeping cozy while looking fashionable. Turtlenecks will also be a hot commodity this winter, with large/loose knits for casual wear, in warm neutral tones. We will also see the turtleneck make an appearance in evening wear, Tom Ford featured black tie looks with fine knit turtlenecks instead of the traditional shirt and bow tie. To round off your look and keep you looking smart and practical, large leather bags are very much on trend and perfect for all you gym rats and hoarders.
As a carryover from Fall looks, we’re still seeing a strong military presence. While designers such as Balmain and Calvin Klein have featured Khakis and dark greens in full tailored looks, an easy way to get on board with this trend is to mix in a standout piece with your wardrobe – try a military inspired bomber jacket. Raglan sleeve raincoats are another staple for this season, to keep you dry on those rainy days while still looking sharp. If you plan to buy any accessory this season, there is none other to better complete your look or keep you on trend than a fedora.
A more ‘relaxed’ formal approach is bang on trend, by adding a casual element to your formal attire. Patterned jackets will also be on the rise, with everything from plaid to monochromatic, pair a printed jacket with tailored, solid-coloured pants. Alternately, printed pants have began to trickle into men’s wear, but keep things minimal and as with printed jackets, pair with solid colors. Prints will also be big throughout the winter party season, with a large emphasis on fun 60’s prints and styles. Mini-skirts, Mary-Janes and pastel colors that are reminiscent of the baby doll style will display a fresh take on the swinging sixties. Colour-blocked shirts will also be a popular casual fashion choice, whether horizontal or vertical patterns, paired with your favourite jeans will be a great look. A bold color to make an impression this winter will be orange; an occasional burst of color through a scarf, sweater or accessory and paired with a grey blazer is the perfect way to bring some warmth to you winter attire. However, the colour of the season is glimmering gold, it took the spotlight across the Winter 2014-2015 runways; it’s gold rush season – and we love it! by Joshua Hackett
The Outport // November 2014 5
THE INCLUSION ILLUSION It’s a big topic right now – diversity and inclusion. Inclusion for people that may be described as having disabilities or mental illness, or the need for diversity in the work place where we include more women, minority races, or people who are gay. Yet when you think about it all those differences are nothing more than man-made constructs that we created ourselves. We created our so-called differences and we believe in them so much that we start dividing ourselves with definitions and labels that ultimately create our own separation. And then through the illusion of exclusion we start to fight for inclusion. We fight to defend our rights for being different. Everyone comes to life and to work with preconceived notions and beliefs based on their personal experiences. What we have come to accept about diversity is that it is about the individual. It is about the variety of unique dimensions, qualities, and characteristics we all possess. But does that make us lower, different or excluded? The whole concept of inclusion is about the collective. It is about creating a culture that strives for equity and embraces, respects, accepts, and values difference. Seems like a great concept at first glance but beneath that you can see that we created a lot of differences and we developed a lot of judgements. We crafted an entire dictionary of words to describe people in ways that makes us separate. Why did we do that? Why can’t people just be people with as many variations as there are people in the world – seven billion! 6 The Outport // November 2014
There is a lot of concern these days about diversity and inclusion. So much so that we have entire departments, courses and schools dedicated to fulfilling a need for diversity and inclusion. As I looked at inclusion and how people act and react to differences about themselves it struck me that something was fundamentally wrong with this picture. What was it? What was underneath the need for inclusion? What I found underneath inclusion as a concept, was the fundamental belief that we are different. We wouldn’t need inclusion at all if we didn’t believe we were different. We don’t need to diversity if we don’t have judgements about differing groups. We don’t need inclusion if we don’t have exclusion. The very nature of exclusion requires our judgment such as: • • • •
People are different People are not like me People are different because of disability People are not accepted the way they are
That’s where all the trouble starts. In our differences we often feel disconnected, alienated and left out. We become victims of our cultural norms and discourse and we believe that those differences are legitimate. This has created massive suffering and drama in the world. People fighting for their rights and demanding they be included when in fact it’s our belief that we are different which was the originating source of the issue. Rather than creating separation with the illusion that we are separate why not just embrace ourselves in our entirety. Eliminate diversity and inclusion all together so that people are able to embrace their uniqueness and self expression fully – with nothing to defend or fight for.
Our language is generative and it creates the world we live in. Everything we do originates from language. The very nature of defining inclusion, exclusion, and diversity creates separation in and of itself. When we understand that, we can actually let go of thinking we are different and simply be! What would life be like without all the barriers and man made definitions of our differences? What would happen if we had no concept of difference at all just like a six-month-old baby? (We can learn a lot from babies.) What about dropping the demonstrations, the fights and the wars to be included and simply embrace that we are amazing? What about believing that we are all the same and start from there? I can’t help but think that a better use of our time would be to realize that it’s all a man made illusion. What if we all understood that how we judge others to be different is the cause of all the problems we are currently experiencing – even war? When judgements are gone, separation is gone and in it’s most simple and idealistic form, if we understand this, we can see that demand for inclusion is a man made illusion. by Tina Olivero Tina Olivero is an ontological coach and trainer. Specializing in new thought leadership and personal & professional mastery. To learn more, please go to TransformWithTina.com
NUTRITION & WELLNESS
LOVE CATS
I
I
Cat Concerns Inc. wants to open an animal shelter.
You are what you eat.
know this makes me sound like a conspiracy theorist, but really I’m not. At least I don’t think I am, but this health and wellness “thing” is truly something I’m passionate about and sometimes I get a little carried away.
n the Trinity-Conception region, animal welfare volunteers struggle daily to deal with problems related to cats – neglect and abandonment by many irresponsible owners has led to untold pain and suffering for stray and feral cats and kittens. Volunteers agree that an animal shelter is one important tool needed to reduce this cycle of cruelty.
You see, I’ve always been into fitness, even when it wasn’t cool. I remember back in the early 80s when I lived in Dartmouth and used to run across the bridge to Barrington Street in Halifax for work. What was I thinking? And for years I would diet and continue to exercise and just as long as I did that, the weight would stay off. But as soon as I stopped starving myself and started back to eating “normally”, the weight came back. Then over the years, and two kids later, the stress of a bad marriage and life in general, I was frustrated and couldn’t understand why people could be so toned and slim and all the while eating what they wanted. I could never do that! My body type wouldn’t allow me and as my metabolism slowed down, it became harder and harder to stay at the weight where I felt most comfortable. That was then. Let’s fast forward a bit. I was working out my usual 3-4 times a week, strength training, cardio, Zumba. I was in a position where being “fit” wasn’t enough anymore. I needed to be healthy. In fact I wanted to understand what I needed to do, not only to help myself but to help others. In the meantime, I had become a certified Personal Trainer. Still, something was missing. And then I discovered Nutrition & Wellness. And even though it took a while for me to understand a lot of the information out there, along with the different theories and opinions, I soon realized that there is no mistaking the science. “We (actually) are what we eat”! I am more passionate than ever about something that now seems so obvious to me. And soon, hopefully to the rest of the
Photo credit: spinster cardigan flickr.com/photos/84906483@N08/
population who continue to be fooled my all the big business marketing. Unfortunately, there are generations of people, especially our children who have no idea what they need to do or eat to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle. Forget skinny, I’m talking healthy. Healthy in mind, body and soul! That’s what Nutrition & Wellness is all about. You look at an individual as a whole, with the belief that everything is connected. Prevention and health maintenance is so important because the factors that are mostly responsible for our quality of life is our lifestyle, followed by the environment, genetics and, lastly, healthcare.
Cat Concerns Inc. has been fundraising for two years to help with the start up capital needed for a sustainable animal shelter. This small group of animal lovers is dedicated to the goal of an open animal shelter for the region. Activities have included bake sales, ticket draws, book fairs, on-line auctions, flea markets, and operation of a thrift store. The group also sponsors craft fairs featuring a wide variety of vendors. Christmas Wishes 2014 Craft Fair will be held at the Lion’s Club in Bay Roberts on Saturday, November 1st from 10am-3pm. This will be followed by Santa’s Choice Craft & Bake Fair on Sunday, November 30th at the Bay Roberts Lion’s Club from 10am-3pm, featuring different vendors from the first event. Proceeds from all fundraisers are being held in trust for a future animal shelter. More information is available on our facebook page: facebook.com/CatConcernsInc.
Over the next few issues I hope to be able to educate, empower or even inspire you to adopt some lifestyle habits that will lead you to good health and a high quality of life. Whether your goal is to drop a few pounds, run a marathon, or excel in your career, you need to have the energy, vitality and focus to be your best! Take care of your body; it’s the only place you have to live! by Pat Watkins, PTS, NWS The Outport // November 2014 7
LABRADOR DESIGNER TEA FACE CLOTHES CRÈME ON A BUDGET Indigena Skincare | indigenaskincare.com
T
he air may be dry but that doesn’t mean your skin has to be. Labrador Tea Face Crème is the perfect choice for maintaining your skins essential moisture barrier. This day or night crème works well in reducing visible signs of aging, including fine lines and wrinkles, while also soothing the skin with its hydrating ingredients. Formulated with karite shea butter and organic aloe this product is a must have in your anti-aging regime! Dry skin types can apply in the morning for an all day surge of moisture. On the oilier side? Use as a night crème.
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avvy clothes shoppers have already discovered the newly-opened Lush Consignment Boutique at 110 Water Street – and it’s generating a lot of excitment in a city with a thriving downtown retail scene.
Like the also-new Aladdin’s Hookah Lounge, a high-end consignment boutique is simply something wealthy cities are expected to have – a sign of rising fortunes in our capital. Wealthy men and women hire consignment boutiques to sell investment pieces they’ve purchased that simply didn’t work out. Most items were only worn a couple of times, if at all, and are available for 25-75% less than retail. Many items still have the tags attached. Lush is named for its owner, Jay Lush, who ensures his prominent location in a meticulously restored heritage building is always full of constantly-changing designer clothes and accessories, including shoes and handbags. At any given time, you can browse and try on items from world-famous designers, including many unavailable anywhere else in St. John’s. For more information, stop by 110 Water Street or call 726-LUSH (5874). by Ryan Crocker
8 The Outport // November 2014
FRETTING THE FRUMP Happy November, all! This month, we’ve got our eye on fashion, and for a genderqueer female-bodied person like myself, the fall means bigger shoulders through layering and the waist-to-hip ratio evened out by sweaters. But being fashionable in transland can be tough. While standard clothing can be cruel to many body types, those who blur the binary can have particular troubles when it comes to finding outfits that fit properly, express gender identity, and feel fabulous, without breaking the bank.
For instance, ftm* folks may want to avoid solid colours or symmetrical patterns in their shirts to hide the lines of the chest. Asymetrical patterns are fabulous for this – the eye doesn’t quite know where to land, so slight discrepancies and curves are easily hidden. On the other hand, those reaching for a more womanly presentation can use appropriately placed stripes to widen or shrink proportions along the torso and chest.
Knowing how each piece of clothing in your wardrobe will be read is an essential step in putting together a genderqueer outfit. Generally speaking, if it is tighter, it will be read as female, unless it is specifically highlighting a male trait (many of which I noticeably lack). While my male-bodied friends can still look like men in skinny jeans, I cannot expect similar treatment. The same goes for t-shirts. There are some
In this article, I’ll be looking at some of those issues as well as giving some tips on how to look delightful regardless of gender identity.
Size Matters If you’re a skinny glitterboi like myself, you might find that no men’s shirts fit you ever. This is especially true across the shoulders, through the width of the arms, and down the length of the tails. A loose neck and saggy armpits can also give the very impression we are trying to avoid – frumpy. Your best bet? Find a shirt you love at the thrift store, then get it tailored to your body. It will cost about the same as a new shirt, but this way you can save the environment and have those clean-cut man lines you’ve always dreamed of. For my mtf* friends, I apologize on behalf of the entire women’s clothing industry who still seems to believe that larger girlies shouldn’t wear the same garments as smaller gals. Finding size eleven boots with a cute heel is incredibly difficult. Finding them in any colour other than black is downright impossible. The internet is your best friend on this one; St. John’s does not do bodacious women justice.
Patterns I read enough fashion mags back in my days as a girl to know that there are some patterns that are particularly flattering, and some that are not. But for a genderqueer person, they matter more than that, as they can highlight or hide details that can cue toward a certain gender read.
Photo credit: Robert Terrell flickr.com/photos/ratterrell/
Finding the Right Blend One thing particular to genderqueer folk like myself is the need to find the right genderblend depending on the day. This means that while my closet might be neatly sorted with my man clothing on one side and my woman on the other, my outfits tend to be a combination of the two. Knowing which clothes can mix for what outcome is of utmost importance. A woman’s sweater often canít be worn with men’s wide legged jeans because of some nasty bunching around the hip region. An A-line skirt doesn’t do well over a man’s shirt because the waist lines are different. When you are playing with the lines, it can take a few tries to get the mixing done just right. Otherwise, we’re back to where we started – uncomfortably frumpy.
magical pieces of clothing that can sit in the gender grey area very well, though one’s body will often push them one way or another. Nothing but trial and error can help with this one. It can be daunting to stretch out into genderbending wear; it can feel like you’re a teenager all over again. However, once you get the hang of it (and I’m not saying that I have quite yet), there’s a whole other world of fashion available. For my most fantastic of outfits, drop by Drag Idol on November 21 at Velvet to see my alter ego Doctor Androbox in his finest of duds. by Taylor Stocks The Outport // November 2014 9
Theatre review Unnecessary Farce
Written by: Paul Slade Smith | Direction by: Janet O’Reilly | Production by: Katherine Elliott | Set Design by: Chris Panting | Produced by: Nothing on Productions | Starring: Hillary Bushell, Glenn Gaulton, Rob Kean, Jill Kennedy, Janet McDonald, Chris Panting and Ernst Rollmann | Venue: Barbara Barrett Theatre, Arts & Culture Centre, St. John’s, NL | Played from: October 15-18, 2014. The key components of a great farce are mistaken identities, sexual innuendos, confusing plots, incredibly fast movement spiralling out of control, and people running on and off stage in a blur. Paul Slade Smith’s “Unnecessary Farce” continues in that tradition. Under the superb casting and tight direction of Janet O’Reilly, the recent staging of this show by Nothing on Productions was a whip-smart comic affair that produced plenty of laughs and hilarity. Set in mirror-image rooms of a cheap chain motel, the show opens with Officer Eric Sheridan (Ernst Rollmann) struggling to get 10 The Outport // November 2014
dressed and talk to his superior on the phone at the same time. It’s one of many scenes with hilariously half-dressed actors. Eric and his partner, Officer Billie Dwyer (Hillary Bushell) have set up a video monitor to hopefully catch Mayor Meekly (Glenn Gaulton) confessing embezzlement to his new accountant, Karen Brown, played by the exceptional Jill Kennedy. Eric and Karen’s attraction for each other causes mayhem from the get-go, and the situation gets even more complicated when a neurotic, scaredy pants security guard by the name of Frank (Rob Kean) and bumbling hitman Todd from the Scottish Mafia (Chris Panting) become involved. To reveal any more about “Unnecessary Farce” would take away from the numerous comedic moments spread throughout, as well as the clever plot twists the show has to offer. It truly needs to be seen first-hand to provide any sort of descriptive justice. The ensemble acting from the cast of this show was a marvel to witness. Glenn Gaulton and Jill Kennedy, both being no stranger to material of this nature having nailed performances earlier this year in Joint Productions take on ‘Don’t Dress for Dinner’, were clearly in their element. As the primary suspect of corruption, Gaulton was charming and funny as the confused civil
servant. His character didn’t have the outrageous moments that the others may of had, but Gaulton still stood out and nicely anchored the show. As demonstrated in “Don’t Dress for Dinner”, Kennedy excels in the art of physical comedy in terms of delivery and comedic timing. She tackled the sexually charged but slapstick role of Karen Brown with hilarity and grace. Rollmann and Bushell were fabulous as daft cops, both being remarkable physical comedians. Rollmann’s rubbery physicality and deer-in-headlights countenance mesh well with Bushell’s giddy and plucky Billie, a character who seemingly has careerending phobias regarding guns and enclosed spaces. Like great silent film actors, both seem to have bodies made of rubber and milked the show’s antics for maximum comedic effect. Their reactions to unexpected developments on the video monitor were also handled masterfully. Rob Kean was a hoot as the security man with a heart of gold, and engaged in a number of excellently implemented pratfalls, sexual entendres and comic mayhem. Chris Panting was equally hilarious as the Scottish assassin who repeatedly gets hit in the head
over the course of the show and rendered unconscious. Another great comedic bit saw Panting talking with a thicker Scottish accent the more agitated his character got until no one on or off the stage could understand him; an exception being Bushell’s Billie. Rounding out the cast nicely was Janet MacDonald who effectively delivered a surprise and clever twist as Mayor Meekly’s wife. Her contorting facial expressions were captivating. The dual motel set, eloquently designed and crafted by double-duty pulling Chris Panting, kept crucial door-slamming action and dramatic character exits running smoothly. It almost felt as though the set qualified as another character in the show. Under the guidance of director Janet O’Reilly, Nothing on Productions’ staging of ‘Unnecessary Farce’ was exquisitely executed with exceptional verbal and physical split-second timing. It was truly an enjoyable, rewardingly silly and riveting experience. Three images by Hugo Leblanc
by Darryl Davis The Outport // November 2014 11